Store staff at Richer Sounds have been handed control of the company by its founder - plus a windfall of thousands each.

Julian Richer, who started the national home entertainment chain, is giving up his majority share of the business.

It means Teesside staff working at Middlesbrough's 17-year-old branch will have a say on the "big changes" that affect the firm, and also be better off to the tune of around £7,000 each.

The 60-year-old entrepreneur told The Guardian he still "really, really cared" about the business - but was keen for the handover to happen in his lifetime after his own father "dropped down dead" at the same age as he is now.

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Founded in 1978, there are now more than 50 Richer Sounds stores in the UK - and the chain has "always been one of the more forward-looking companies in terms of how it treats its staff" according to The Mirror .

Zero-hours contracts are banned, the Living Wage embraced and its gender pay gap actually favours women.

It has company holiday homes across the world available for use by employees, as well as a "Helping Hand Fund" in case staff get into financial difficulties. It also donates 15% of all profits to charity.

Richer Sounds joins the likes of John Lewis with the staff controlling the company they work for.